Yachts transiting the Gulf of Aden should be more secure under a maritime security patrol area announced by the United States 5th Fleet in Bahrain. Allied naval forces under Combined Task Force 150 are now patrolling the waters between the coasts of Somalia and Yemen, a natural chokepoint for maritime traffic.

Pirates recently stepped up commercial ship hijacking in this area. The

Our multi-year cruise was still mostly in front of us when our Yanmar diesel engine uncharacteristically refused to answer my call for more revolutions. We reached our next port on reduced rpm, and the following morning the engine would start, but not keep running. When an otherwise mechanically sound

Most production galleys are fine for a weekend cruise, but if you’re thinking about a longer time frame for the galley’s use—extended cruising or living aboard—any shortcomings will quickly become apparent. Fortunately, you don’t have to settle for what you are given. For example, my wife and I

Recently, a sailmaker called to inquire about upgrading the backstay system on his client’s mid-1980s 34-foot masthead-rigged sloop. The client was buying a slightly larger headsail that could cover a broader spectrum of wind ranges and thought that the standard backstay and turnbuckle just weren’t up to the task. The working range of the turnbuckle was 2 to 3 inches of length, and the time